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Type

B-Boat & Tooling

Sold by

YD

Fiberglass Information

The most basic structural material in building
a composite aircraft is glass cloth. The use of
glass in aircraft structures, particularly structural
sandwich composites, is a recent development.
Fiberglass cloths are available in
different formulations. "E" glass (electrical is
the most common all purpose glass), while
"S" (high strength) glass is made for special
applications. Glass cloth is available commercially
in hundreds of different weights,
weaves, strengths and working properties.
Very few of these; however, are compatible
with aircraft requirements for high strength
and light weight. Even fewer are suitable for
the hand-layup techniques developed by
Burt Rutan for the homebuilder. The glass
cloth featured here has been specifically
selected for the optimum combination of
workability, strength and weight Two types of
glass cloth, a bidirectional cloth and a unidirectional
cloth are used. Bid cloth has half of
the fibers woven parallel to the selvage edge
of the cloth and the other half at right angles
to the selvage, giving the cloth the same
strength in both directions. Uni cloth has 95%
of the glass fibers woven parallel to the selvage,
giving exceptional strength in that direction
and very little at right angles to it. Bid
is generally used for pieces which are cut at
a 45° angle to the selvage, a bias cut, which
enables the builder to lay Bid into contours
with very little effort and provides the needed
shear and torsion stiffness for flying surfaces.
Uni is used in areas where the primary
loads are in one direction, such as wing skins
and spar caps. Multiple layers of glass cloth
are laminated together to form the aircraft
structure. Each layer of cloth is called a "ply".
Glass cloth should be stored, marked and cut
in a clean area with clean hands and clean
tools. Glass contaminated with dirt, grease or
epoxy should not be used. The area used for
storing and cutting glass cloth should be
separated from the aircraft assembly area
because it will be exposed to foam dust,
epoxy and other elements which can contaminated
the cloth. A pair of good quality
sharp scissors, felt-tipped marker, a straight
board and a tape measure are needed for
marking and cutting. The small amount of ink
from marking and numbering plies has no
detrimental effect on the glass cloth. Standard
fiberglass cloth is exactly what the
name says - glass. Fine fibers are spun from
molten glass marbles, gathered into yarn and
woven into a strong, supple glass fabric. It
can be folded, rolled or draped, like any other
loosely woven fabric - but it can be chemically
transformed into solid sheets of tremendous
strength. All the fiberglass fabrics listed
below are volan treated for maximum
strength and resistance to moisture and
abrasion. They feature a weave that is tight
enough for high strength, yet open enough
for thorough wetting by resins. Fiberglass
tapes have non-raveling selvage for glassing
seams, corners, edges and repair jobs. Roving
glass is a substitute for uni cloth for
contours over spar caps, wings and elevators.
It is made of roving glass held together
with cross threads to avoid roving cross over.